Wrecking Ball (studio album) by Bruce Springsteen

Wrecking Ball is Bruce Springsteen's 17th studio album and first album with producer Ron Aniello.

Like The Rising, this record is full of painfully cliche songwriting and bombastic production, and yet it leaves a mark on so many hearts because of its strong grip on melody and spirited performances. But familiar melodies and spirited performances alone cannot save a weak record, especially with the embarrassing production on this one.

And sadly, any merit in the songwriting is usually cancelled out by the laughable production. Death to My Hometown, Shackled and Drawn and We Are Alive are the tackiest tracks I've ever heard from Springsteen. The title track and perhaps Rocky Ground are the only reasons for listeners to keep this one on the shelves/digital libraries.

Once the melodious honeymoon is over, listeners will be rediscovering Springsteen's two previous efforts (Magic, Working on a Dream) when they want 21st century Springsteen with substance.

NOT RECOMMENDED.

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side Wrecking Ball
B-Side Rocky Ground

From Medelsvensson 05/18/2019 17:29

underrated on this website

Criminally underrated Bruce record
This is one of his best albums

This will go down as one of Bruce's Classic albums

A modern classic - brilliant

Wrecking ball is Bruce springsteen's angry response to the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the recession that had hit the U.S. and the rest of the world. Springsteen really has a bee in his bonnet, especially on the sarcastic opening track, we take care of our own, reminiscent of, born in the USA, in so much that it could easily be misunderstood as a flag waving anthem. Elsewhere, Bruce rages at the fat cat bankers on, Jack of all trades, and, does his pogues/clancy brothers bit on, death to my hometown, Irish accent and all. The title track is an excellent tribute to Yankee stadium, about to be knocked down and rebuilt, but Springsteen reminds us they can tear down the walls but can't take away the memories. Easy money, follows a couple forced into a criminal existence, and, land of hope and dreams, finally gets a studio incarnation, featuring saxophone from the big man, the late Clarence Clemons. We are alive, is a brilliant Johnny Cash type track, about the souls of the dead, still alive and kicking. If there are any weak tracks it's the brooding, my depression, and the throwaway, you've got it. Wrecking ball, is a brilliant album, which I believe will eventually go down as a Springsteen classic. Superb.

From Tamthebam 07/31/2015 10:20

Brilliant album from The Boss one of his best ever & definitely the best album of 2012.

From zags7000 06/11/2015 23:26

Another classic. His best since The Rising. One of the very best of the decade and, along with The Rising, his best later day album.

THE BOSS KILLED IT. This is one of the best albums of 2012.

My favorite album of 2012. Very action-packed. Well, that's the feeling I get.

From zdwyatt 10/23/2013 18:44

The Boss has a prime directive--to give voice to the downtrodden working man--and Wrecking Ball carries on that tradition. What I find interesting is that the despair in the lyrics would have worked well as a sparse collection similar to Nebraska. But he opted to go the other direction and pile all the usual rock sounds in there, along with some gospel choir, and a fair smattering of horns.